SB-1054 Mentally ill offender crime reduction grants.(2013-2014)

Bill Start

An act to amend Sections 6032, 6045, 6045.4, and 6045.8 of the Penal Code, relating to mentally ill criminal offenders.

[
Approved by
Governor
September 18, 2014.
Filed with
Secretary of State
September 18, 2014.
]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

SB 1054, Steinberg.
Mentally ill offender crime reduction grants.

(1) Existing law establishes, within the Board of State and Community Corrections, the California Juvenile Justice Data Working Group, as provided, and the working group is required, among other things, to recommend a plan for improving specified juvenile justice reporting requirements, including streamlining and consolidating requirements without sacrificing meaningful data collection. The working group is required to submit its recommendations to the board no later than December 31, 2014.

This bill would extend, to April 30, 2015, the date to submit recommendations.

(2) Existing law requires the board to administer mentally ill offender crime reduction grants on a competitive basis to counties that expand or establish a continuum of timely and effective responses to reduce crime and criminal justice costs related to mentally ill juvenile and adult offenders. The grants administered by the board are required to be divided between adult and juvenile mentally ill offender crime reduction grants in accordance with the funds appropriated for each type of grant.

This bill would clarify that the grants be divided equally between adult and juvenile mentally ill offender crime reduction grants.

(3) Existing law requires an application for a mentally ill offender crime reduction grant to describe a 4-year plan for programs, services, or strategies, and requires the board to award grants that provide funding for 4 years with the proviso that funding beyond the first year of the plan is contingent upon annual appropriations and the availability of funds to support mentally ill offender crime reduction grants beyond the first funding year.

This bill would delete that proviso and reduce the term of the award grants to funding for 3 years.

(4) Existing law requires the board to create an evaluation design for adult and juvenile mentally ill offender crime reduction grants
that assesses the effectiveness of the program in reducing crime, adult and juvenile offender incarceration and placement levels, early releases due to jail overcrowding, and local criminal and juvenile justice costs. The board is required to annually submit a report to the Legislature based on the evaluation design, commencing October 1, 2015, with a final report due on December 31, 2019.

This bill would change the due date of the final report to December 31, 2018.

Digest Key

Vote:
MAJORITY
Appropriation:
NO
Fiscal Committee:
YES
Local Program:
NO

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 6032 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

6032.

(a) There is hereby established within the Board of State and Community Corrections the California Juvenile Justice Data Working Group. The purpose of the working group is to recommend options for coordinating and modernizing the juvenile justice data systems and reports that are developed and maintained by state and county agencies.

(b) (1) The working group shall include representatives from each of the following:

(A) The Department of Justice.

(B) The Board of State and Community Corrections.

(C) The Division of Juvenile Justice within the
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

(D) The Chief Probation Officers of California.

(E) The Judicial Council.

(F) The California State Association of Counties.

(G) Any other representatives that are deemed appropriate by the board.

(2) Members of the working group shall include persons that have experience or expertise related to the California juvenile justice system or the design and implementation of juvenile justice data systems, or both.

(c) (1) The working group shall analyze the capacities and limitations of the data systems and networks used to collect and report state and local
juvenile caseload and outcome data. The analysis shall include all of the following:

(A) A review of the relevant data systems, studies, or models from California and other states having elements worthy of replication in California.

(B) Identify changes or upgrades to improve the capacity and utility of juvenile justice caseload and outcome data in California, including changes to support the gathering of juvenile justice outcome and recidivism information, and changes to improve performance outcome measurements for state-local juvenile justice grant programs.

(2) No later than January 1, 2016, the working group shall prepare and submit a report to the Legislature on the options for improving interagency coordination, modernization, and upgrading of state and local juvenile justice data and information systems. The
report shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(A) The additional collection and reporting responsibilities for agencies, departments, or providers that would be affected.

(B) Recommendations for the creation of a Web-based statewide clearinghouse or information center that would make relevant juvenile justice information on operations, caseloads, dispositions, and outcomes available in a user-friendly, query-based format for stakeholders and members of the public.

(C) An assessment of the feasibility of implementing the responsibilities identified in subparagraph (A) and the recommendations developed pursuant to subparagraph (B).

(3) The working group shall also recommend a plan for improving the current juvenile justice reporting
requirements of Section 1961 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and Section 30061 of the Government Code, including streamlining and consolidating current requirements without sacrificing meaningful data collection. The working group shall submit its recommendations to the Board of State and Community Corrections no later than April 30, 2015.

(d) (1) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under subdivision (c) is inoperative on January 1, 2016, pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code.

(2) A report submitted to the Legislature pursuant to subdivision (c) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code.

SEC. 2.

Section 6045 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

6045.

(a) The Board of State and Community Corrections shall administer mentally ill offender crime reduction grants on a competitive basis to counties that expand or establish a continuum of timely and effective responses to reduce crime and criminal justice costs related to mentally ill offenders. The grants administered under this article by the board shall be divided equally between adult and juvenile mentally ill offender crime reduction grants in accordance with the funds appropriated for each type of grant. The grants shall support prevention, intervention, supervision, and incarceration-based services and strategies to reduce recidivism and to improve outcomes for mentally ill juvenile and adult offenders.

(b) For purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) “Board” means the Board of State and Community Corrections.

(2) “Mentally ill adult offenders” means persons described in subdivisions (b) and (c) of Section 5600.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(3) “Mentally ill juvenile offenders” means persons described in subdivision (a) of Section 5600.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

SEC. 3.

Section 6045.4 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

6045.4.

(a) The application submitted by a county shall describe a four-year plan for the programs, services, or strategies to be provided under the grant. The board shall award grants that provide funding for three years. Funding shall be used to supplement, rather than supplant, funding for existing programs. Funds may be used to fund specialized alternative custody programs that offer appropriate mental health
treatment and services.

(b) A grant shall not be awarded unless the applicant makes available resources in accordance with the instructions of the board in an amount equal to at least 25 percent of the amount of the grant. Resources may include in-kind contributions from participating agencies.

(c) In awarding grants, priority or preference shall be given to those grant applications that include documented match funding that exceeds 25 percent of the total grant amount.

SEC. 4.

Section 6045.8 of the Penal Code is amended to read:

6045.8.

(a) The board shall create an evaluation design for adult and juvenile mentally ill offender crime reduction grants that assesses the effectiveness of the program in reducing crime, adult and juvenile offender incarceration and placement levels, early releases due to jail overcrowding, and local criminal and juvenile justice costs. The evaluation design may include outcome measures related to the service levels, treatment modes, and stability measures for juvenile and adult offenders participating in, or benefitting from, mentally ill offender crime reduction grant programs or services.

(b) Commencing on October 1, 2015, and annually thereafter, the board shall submit a report to the Legislature based on the evaluation design, with a final report due on
December 31, 2018.

(c) The reports submitted pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(d) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this section shall be repealed as of January 1, 2024.